Apple has released a new software update, iOS 10.1, to close the door to a malware that, if sneaks in, can potentially take over an iPhone. The tech giant realizes how big of an issue it can turn out to be, which is why they are advising every one of their users to download this update as soon as possible.

Just like most malware, this one is also distributed through different links, and if you click on the wrong one by mistake, then you will literally be handing over control of your device to the attacker.

This exploit is fairly recent so the hackers targeting the security exploit are trying their very best to affect as many devices as they can.

Before we go any further, let’s first take a quick look at everything we know about this security exploit so far.

What is this iOS Security Exploit Exactly?

After reading the above discussion, you may be wondering what this exploit actually is. Well, it’s basically is a JPEG file which, when opened, downloads malware into your device and grants control of your iPhone to the attacker. They are then free to do whatever it is they want with it. They can get their hands on your personal information, pictures, social security number, contact list, videos, and a whole lot more. In simple terms, we can say that if this malware sneaks into your device, then you can kiss your privacy, security, and even money goodbye.

How Was It Discovered?

Exploit as serious as this one was missed by the developers at Apple, but fortunately, Marco Grassi, a security researcher, figured it out before it could cause any serious damage. Grassi himself could have abused the exploit, but he didn’t because he thought of it as his moral and ethical responsibility to report the exploit and protect the security and privacy of people. He reported the problem to Apple as soon as he discovered it. The tech giant was pretty proficient about it as they came out with a fix in a matter of days.

How to Avoid It?

Avoiding this newly found malware is pretty simple actually. Just download the iOS 10.1 update into your device and you are good to go. That not only takes care of this exploit, but it also keeps you safe from other minor security threats that Apple found in their firmware.

iPhone users always had the privilege of being secure, but this latest malware threat has certainly given a huge scare. Fortunately, no severe casualty has been reported yet.

If things are to remain that way, then everyone with Apple devices will need to download the iOS 10.1 update as soon as possible.